31 October 2007

OK, like you know how rumours abound on the playa with the lack of real news outlets and information resources? Right?

So, last year on the playa I got word from a burner that claims to be "in the know" (like aren't we all, right?) that the French have their sites on Burning Man in '08. When pressed, this source refused to elaborate further, which leaves me to wonder WTF?

And I go back to thinking it's just a rumour.

But ah! Que je suis bête!

Then I see something like this on Google Video by French-American.tv and I'm all like: Ah HA!!! This is what they meant!

Then again...meh...who knows? It could be true. Maybe. When I look at this video I'm thinking well, it's rather long. But it does have this certain savoir fair...this...ah, hmm... shall we say je ne sais quoi!

So, whatever. If the French are truly planning on invading Black Rock City, blame Canada. Seriously. From my experiences on the playa last year, I'm convinced that it's a tie breaker between Canadians or possibly Jedi knights with light sabers that will overtake the event. Larry help us, and may the farce be with you. Zout alors!

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial writer D. Parvaz can understand why somebody might commit arson. In a recent article entitled "Arsonist or performance artist?" about Paul Addis and his latest failed "prank" attempt, she writes: "On the one hand, I can understand the power of the image to someone who sees the church as an oppressive institution."

UPDATE #1 (10/31/07): Cinnamon Stillwell who is a contributing columnist at SFGate.com and a member of Pajamas Media posts in her blog "Anti-Christian Sentiment in San Francisco Leads to Violence, Liberals Shrug". Here she asks "Imagine for a moment if the situation were altered and Addis had attempted to burn down or blow up a mosque. (I won't say a synagogue or other Jewish structures because that doesn't seem to engender much outrage these days either). Were Islam to be the targeted religion, does anyone think for a moment that the "hate crime" label would not be affixed?" Good question, Stillwell!

UPDATE #2 (10/31/07): From Ripclawe, who blogged this: "Seriously, I know the Seattle papers are leftist havens, but this is irresponsible journalism at its worst. If this was a conservative talking about mosques, everyone would go nuts. D. Parvaz should get a talking too, but given this is Seattle, probably get a promotion."

UPDATE #3 (11/01/07): Is this a cat fight? You be the judge. Sadly, No! posted "The Flying CinnaNun" in response to Cinnamon Stillwell's blog post saying: "Burning down a giant stone cathedral is, of course, easier to accomplish in an overheated wingnut’s imagination than in actual practice, particularly where Mr. Addis had not an explosives belt, but an ammunition belt with small explosives which, according to the police, would not have caused substantial damage, much less burned down the whole gigantic stone edifice. But let’s not rain on Cinnamon’s parade, because she’s just getting worked up about how no one is paying attention to this because it was a hateful Christian church and not a beloved mosque." Meow! Fft! Fft!

UPDATE #4 (11/01/07): From the Recliner Commentaries blog: "...So far the only one who appears to have covered it is Bill O'Reilly (It's even hard to find much about it on the internet!). If Paul Addis had been a Christian attempting to set fire to an abortion clinic you can bet that it would be the leading story on every news outlet in the country. If Paul Addis had been a Muslim, his attempt would have been called terrorism."

UPDATE #5 (11/01/07): 1RedThread also blogged on this. The blogger's bio states: "I am a Christian infidel, a card carrying member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, conservative American, living in Canada, and I support Israel." OK!

UPDATE #6 (11/01/07): Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés of the Moderate Voice weighs in with more questions than answers: "How does he fit in with the recent spate of people acting publicly when they a) know cameras are present (don’t tase me bro,) or when a show is being taped live (Bill Maher ran off the stage to help eject a screamer from his audience)? Performance art and threatening to do actual harm in real time context, are two different ideas, yes or no? How can street theater be used in time-honored ways, and where /when? Surely there are many analytic questions that could reveal context, teaching, learning, facts perhaps?"

So BURNcast readers, what do you think? Take the poll! Post a comment!

From the "Third Pipe - The Future of Broadband" comes this blog post in which writer predominantly discusses Google's plans for growth and domination in the VOIP market with brief mention of the Burner boys who run the enterprise. Altogether, an interesting read and the reader comments are noteworthy.

About Third Pipe: "Third pipe is alternative information resource about the state broadband communications and a strong advocate of establishing a “third broadband pipe” to increase competition and improve service. We are also your “third pipe” to this information - being beholden to neither the mainstream or “new media” - each having their own interests to spin on the issue."

30 October 2007

"Burner: Tales from the Playa" is my true story as a six-time "Burner" and chronicles the joy, heartbreak, amazement and life lessons learned at Burning Man, the annual festival which takes place on a Black Rock Lake, a remote, dry lake bed in Northern Nevada, known to Burners as "the playa".

"Burner" interweaves my own, deeply personal accounts of survival, lust and enlightenment with insights into the beautiful insanity that is Burning Man. I take a wickedly funny aim at the citizens and the culture of Black Rock City, but I save the sharpest barbs for myself. More than anything, "Burner: Tales from the Playa" is a loving tribute to Burning Man and the citizens of Black Rock City.

People who have never been to Burning Man will be introduced to not just the sights and sounds, but also the spirit of Burning Man. And for the experienced, "Burner" is just like going home.

"Burner" is a multi-media production, featuring images, video and sound I have collected during my trips to BRC. It is directed by Jerry Diner.

After the show, you are invited to stay for The Bank Heist's weekly electronic music event, "NoHo Massive". "NoHo Massive" is presented by Chris Cox and Ken Jordan of The Crystal Method, pioneers of the "big beat" electronic dance genre. Every Thursday, Chris and Ken bring superstar DJs such as Rabbit in the Moon, Freddy Be, Sandra Collins, as well as themselves to The Bank Heist for an evening of the best electronic dance music in Los Angeles.

The Bank Heist is North Hollywood's newest nightspot. Housed in an old bank building built in 1926, the club features a restaurant (Bank), and a two-story nightclub (Heist). The upstairs lounge provides the plush and intimate setting which will host both "Burner" and "Noho Massive".

Show-time for "Burner: Tales from the Playa" is 7:30 p.m. and runs for approximately 80 minutes. "NoHo Massive" kicks off at about 9:30.

So, you get to see "Burner: Tales from the Playa" and dance to superstar DJs at "NoHo Massive". What's it going to cost you?

$10. Can you dig it?

The upstairs lounge at The Bank Heist is very comfortable, but intimate. There is seating for about 80 and there is standing room as well. This show will sell out. So, to insure that you are able to get in, you can reserve a space by using PayPal to pay for your cover charge in advance.

This is a lounge and seating is not reserved, so get there early for a good spot. You can even get something to eat at Bank before or after the show.

The Bank Heist is located at 5303 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA. The club is across the street from the the Metro Red Line subway station. If you are interested in taking the Metro Rail, the last train from North Hollywood to Downtown L.A. leaves at 12:45a. Valet parking is available at the club and there is also parking on the street.

For information and reservations, go to www.ohtony.com, and click on the "Burner: Tales from the Playa" link.

Adam Fish shot this video with Paul Addis back in September, about a week before Addis' arraignment for attempted arson hearing in Nevada. Along with Adam and Paul, I also recognize in this video Amacker Bullwinkle and Dee Dee Russell. There is another man featured whom I believe is named Jeff.

Early in the video, Paul references a laminate and says it's the true badge of Black Rock Intelligence. He goes on to say anybody seen carrying one of these is dead.

Shite!

I have one of those laminates. I ain't dead yet. Does that mean there's a contract out for my life?

This is of a conversation of Ms. Amacker Bullwinkle, a friend of Paul Addis. Here she shares information of what she believed occurred regarding Addis' alleged involvement in the Early Burn. She also shares a story of their devoted friendship to one another. Recorded at Burning Man on Wednesday 29 August 2007.

In this week's episode, we speak with the folks from Bentley Biofuels, Burning Man's #1 supplier of biodiesel fuel. Dragon and Pixie Little tell us their thoughts about mixing work with play, and ObiWan tells us about the higher calling of biodiesel and his thoughts on the Greening of the Burn. Katherine the Great also makes her debut as a BURNcast producer-- yay!

29 October 2007

Alleged Burning Man arsonist accused of trying to burn Grace CathedralAs reported in the SFGate, Paul Addis was arrested yesterday in connection with an arson attempt on the Grace Cathedral. Read more here.

27 October 2007

I've been doing BURNcast for three seasons now. As some of you may know, it all started when Chai Guy and I took the advice of some friends who said "Be the change you want to see" with regards to how the media covers Burning Man.

Speaking for myself (and not for Chai), I find it utterly fascinating as to how the event is portrayed in both mainstream media and social media. I've seen examples that IMHO are really terrible. I've seen others that have been absolutely sublime. But I have to say that the following videos below are my absolute favorites thus far. There's no gratuitous T and A (OK...some nudity, but done with taste), no hedonism, no fire, no blowing shit up, no nothing that would capture an audience attention and generate ratings or click-throughs. Yet, to me, it's deep, powerful and meaningful. It's an aspect of Burning Man culture I really enjoy and that is reflecting on the mystery of life and having a few good answers and some absolutely ridiculous ones as well. It reminds me of the saying I was told when I was a teenager: "Life is mysterious. Don't take it so serious!"

I hope you enjoy the following videos as much as I did. Thanks, Shananda, for this work.

26 October 2007

Boing Boing's Xeni Jardin is one of the coolest people I know. She's super hip, über intelligent, and she's a burner, too. Here, she talks with Simpson's director David Silverman about his flaming tuba. Incidentally, David is just as hip, just as intelligent and just as burn-y too. He's also a member of the Phoenix Projekt, LA's premiere fire troupe.

25 October 2007

24 October 2007

Mim Chapman, a burner from New Mexico, is performing her original work "The Vagina Penis Monologues" this weekend in Santa Fe. Santa Fe, incidentally, is the city with "Zozobra" the original Burning Man of which I've had the opportunity to see burn several times when I've visited that enchanted state.

Chapman says in a recent article: "I started out at Burning Man because I wanted to go to a really liberal enlightened group of people. I went in the 6-foot vulva costume and gave away invitations to our camp, where we were giving away free oral sex—as in talking about it. Every afternoon people gathered and filled out my survey, ‘What did you ever want to ask a vagina or a penis?’ basic demographic info and where people learned most of what they knew."

14 October 2007

I was able to visit Otto for a few minutes today. Wow, he has a lot going on; tubes, wires, and needles everywhere. Mark (former roommate), Dex (travel brother) and I snuck in before visiting hours because Dex was on a lay-over on his way to NYC. Otto is still very groggy and heavily sedated. In the moments Otto was able to focus he conveyed the gratitude he has for all of you. The Diorama Stacy and Amy made filled with Budhas and bacon were his favorite point of the hospital room tour.

Mark, who was with Otto before surgery a few years ago thinks he looks much better this time. You can tell Otto wants to be up and running ASAP but the body isn’t cooperating. Otto has already done a few laps around the ward and hopes to be home by Monday. God speed!

With his sisters here, Otto is getting good treatment and has his own room now with a view. They send their thanks.

Food: For those asking to cook food for Indra, Ari and Otto’s family, healthy especially veggie is best. Casseroles or anything that can be frozen is sooooo very helpful. Recovery is going to take a while so we are putting together a calendar for baby-sitting, errands, and cooking. Please contact our favorite wedding planner, Jennifer Steinle to volunteer.

Weddings: Aaron and Gayle are getting married today and were to have Otto officiate their SF wedding next week. Send them some love if you can, they are as worried as you. Also, if you were married by Otto please contact Chip Vitarelli (Married to Amy by Otto).

Auction: I have been offered cars, art and vacations to auction off for Otto. If you have something you’d like to donate please let me know. Expect a silent auction link from this site soon.

Close your eyes, take a deep breath, let it out slow as you think of your favorite Otto moment. Now smile and know that your message has been received.

Otto is out of surgery but deeper in the woods. The tumor they took out was the size of an orange and showed serious signs of spreading. The doctors removed the lymph nodes around the liver and biopsied the surrounding tissue. Either way he is expected to need the most aggressive forms of treatment.

Your thoughts and prayers have meant so much to him and he is up to the challenge of fighting this. Julie reminded me of the friends she has that have bounced back from fatal diagnosis and one key thing is LOVE. He’s received love, well wishes and donations from all over the planet. Keep it coming!

Let him know you are on his team. Notes, photos, and well wishes help. E-mails, voice mail, BURNcast messages. I need a few people to help with photo books we are putting together.

Donate through PayPal. Chemo is expensive. People have sent from $20 to $3,000. Every gift has come from love and every dollar helps.

If you have no cash please volunteer. I need help coordinating meals, baby-sitting, and helping Indra. We need DJs, help with fund raisers, ideas, and for you to spread the word. Brasstax, Om Records and the Space Cowboys have started making plans.

Otto Schutt is a big man with a little tumor that is going to be removed from his intestine on Friday. They cut him open last week to check out his appendix saw that was fine and thought it was all just a nasty infection. The biopsy results came back Monday and unfortunately the doctors found the tumor is malignant (the bad kind) and I don't know the prognosis but your prayers and support will help.

The cost is $30,000 for the surgery and there is no insurance. We are doing a little fundraiser to help defer the cost.

Can't even count the number of fundraisers brother Schutt has lead in our community.

We will be gathering at Shine on October 21st to do what Otto would want us to do most...dance. Count on guest DJs, Jack and Ginger drink specials, and a gathering of folks that love him most. Please bring your favorite picture of Otto for a book we are putting together.

Saturday,October 13th10pm to 5 amShuttles will grab you from the main gate at the La Decom,at Corner of Mateo and Palmetto15$ presale, 20 at the door.

Dear Burners and Burnettes,

How's your recovery going? Have you cleaned the Playa dust off of your shade?Do you think you will before next year? We haven't because we're getting readyfor THE AFTERPARTY!

Saturday Night, October 13th 2007, starting at 10pm:

Hipgenesis, Ninja Skillz and Pocket are coming together to create Afterparty.We will be starting right as the La Decom is ending. Shuttles will run from 10pm to 5 am, at the front gate of the La Decom event.

We have a great location and lineup. Entertainment will feature good mix oflocal favorites and some Bay Area talent we're smuggling in like -- the creatorof "Opulent Temple" -- Syd Gris. We have a super-fly chill area, music thatgoes till dawn, and a guarantee that the party doesn't stop when the party stops.

In this piece, among other things, Ray discusses media presence at Burning Man and his concerns at the time echoed my concerns 10 years later when, in 2005, Discovery came to Burning Man. He says:

Last year it was HBO, this year it will be MTV. I worry that this media exposure will soon bring dramatic changes to the event. In fact, I know it will. Of course, change is often a good thing, but my fear is that the presence of corporate media will radically alter the scene, undermining the participatory nature of the event, turning it into yet another commodified, fetishized spectacle of late capitalist culture, to be consumed like a professional sporting event or some kind of desert Lollapalooza. My fear is that the communal rituals I've come to associate with Burning Man will be overwhelmed by another more powerful ritual of the capitalist belief system — the ritual commodification of our everyday lives under capitalist economic relations. Burning Man is, in so many ways, an embodiment of the conflicts and contradictions we experience as participants in capitalist culture. We don't escape these contradictions simply by trekking out into the desert wilderness. But we do adventure into the unknown, an as yet unformed and inchoate social space.

In reading this article, I am reminded of a quote by Larry Harvey from Zpub in which he says:

"We lead lives that are deadeningly passive. Everyone is sorted out in a seperate [sic] stall, like cattle in a feed-lot. Every time anything like real culture is produced by a creative community it's expropriated and flogged in the media and turned into a cliche - it used to be six years, now it's six months it's getting down to six weeks."

I disagree, Larry. It's getting down to :30 second spots between episodes of the Simpsons and Malcolm in the Middle.

It's rather disheartening, to say the least, to think that Harvey thinks BURNcast as a media entity is partly responsible in turning the event I love so much into a cliché. Mea culpa!

What about Main Stream Media? Or Larry's friends at Current TV? Is it really the media that is responsible for commodifying the Burning Man brand? Or could it possibly be the administration?

One thing I know for sure is: at least it's not the community...(drink!)

08 October 2007

Since BURNcast has not heard a peep about Paul Addis' arraignment trial last month, we decided to give the man a call and catch up. His one-man play "Gonzo - A Brutal Chrysalis" was set to run in Los Angeles this month. Currently his voice mailbox is full.

The official statement (which can also be found on his website) is as follows: "Regrettably, due to Paul's illness, all upcoming shows have been cancelled. We hope to resume the run upon his recovery."

At a loss as to what to do this Saturday night? Have something planned already? Well, drop whatever you're doing and ransack your closet for your Burn-night best to come out to the Fire Stage at LA Decompression 2007! A night of truly epic talent showcasing LA's finest firebirds in all their glorious plumage needs only your presence to grace it. Don't miss this thrilling, fiery blend of thundering drums, martial arts, bellydance, acrobatics, and more. 'The Emperor's Court' promises to be an unforgettable experience, so come down to the LA Decompression Fire Stage Saturday night and prepare yourselves for an amazing show!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13th, Noon until 11 PM$10 in Playa wear/$15 in non-Playa street wearChildren under 12 are FREEwww.LA-BURNINGMAN.comrain or shine, it's PLAYATIME!

It's that time again! Time to grab those dusty boots you just don't have the heart to clean off and experience the art, the culture and the thrill of Burning Man, brought to life on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. This is an annual event to bring the spirit of Burning Man alive in our community.

PARTICIPATE! Just like Burning Man, this event is put on through volunteer efforts. We are currently looking for volunteers the day of the event. If you are interested, please contact: monica@thedolab.com

Decompression is an opportunity to come together and share the art, performances, theme camps, photos, videos and stories from the playa; to re-connect with family and friends; and collaborate to create something new. It is, at its simplest, a reunion. But more significantly, it is a thoroughly participatory celebration of Burning Man art and community within our larger communities...

Park on 1st, 2nd or 3rd and walk down to the main gate, located at MATEO and PALMETTO, downtown los angeles.

FOR FULL LIST OF ARTISTS, THEME CAMPS, AND PERFORMERS, AND FOR TIME SLOTS, PLEASE VISIT: WWW.LA-BURNINGMAN.COM

Disclaimer: I was dreaming when I wrote this, forgive me if it goes astray.

As some of you may have heard from my previous audio post from SF Decom, it was going off! If you're a virgin reading this, here's a primer: Decom's are the after parties of Burning Man and take place within local communities (drink!). I love'em! Lots of music, art, performance and freaks!

While I was there, I got an opportunity to speak to a lot of folks and heard a few rumors. And boy, wow. Some them just crack me up. But some of them make you go "Whoa!"

What's the goss, you ask?

Well...it's all unconfirmed of course...but I heard that BMorg does not intend to last another decade and that they are really looking to pass the torch to the regional network.

This is really no news as it was reported in that Business 2.0 article last July. But the question is: why? Why can't Burning Man as we know it continue in perpetuity?

Let me start by saying, a friend of Bill W's once told me this important tenet in AA: you're as sick as your secrets. Emphasis on the word "sick".

But far be it from me to tell tales, especially those that don't have a happy ending. As some of you may know, it was at SF Decom last year that I learned that my father had terminal cancer and two weeks later he had passed from this existence. So stories of the kind I heard are to be taken seriously and with respect.

I will say this (cue sound): Dust in the wind. All we are is playa dust in the wind.

So enjoy it while it lasts. And remember: I was dreamin' when I wrote this, so sue me if I go 2 fast. But life is just a party and parties weren't meant 2 last.

French Burners have launched their website: FrenchBurners.org. With 400 current members, they are officially BMorg sanctioned and join a global community (drink!) of burners that includes Burners Canadiens, Burners of New Zealand, Burners of Ireland, Burners Australia, Burners UK, Burners Japan, and Burners of South Africa.

Translated from the French Burners website (Veuillez pardonner mon français. If someone can provide a better translation, I'm happy to repost this):

Who are we?WE ARE THE OFFICIAL OF BURNING MAN IN FRANCE!Burners French is the official community BURNING MAN in France. It brings together all those interested in BURNING MAN and create events around the principles of BURNING MAN. The most famous events so far are BURNING NIGHT! ! !

The community was created by the official representatives of Burning Man in France, the so-called "Regional Contacts." So the community's official Burning Man in France. As such, it has the support and must be accountable to the Burning Man organization based in San Francisco. "French Burners" has the status of non-profit association.

FRENCH BURNERS! ? !We are above all burners! Being a burner is to respect the principles and values of Burning Man: open-minded, artistic expression, don & sharing, respect for others and their environment, autonomy, Burners ... The French are the French who have subscribed the conveniences of Burning Man. More about Burning Man

WHO CAN GET THE BURNERS FRENCH?Just respect the values of Burning Man and live in France for a French Burner! This community gathers all the people who want to live according to the values of Burning Man on a daily basis, whether or not fairways in the desert of Nevada. It is a community open to all.

AN ACTIVE COMMUNITY!We meet at the now mythical and delusions BURNING NIGHT. But not only. When Burning Coffee monthly at the Burning Occasional brunch, Burning Picnic ... And to the Decompression Party in London in early December. And of course, we are preparing all the travel BURNING MAN late August. And even NOWHERE, the European mini Burning Man held in July in Spain.

07 October 2007

OK, so I experimented making an audio post from my cell phone using Utterz at SF Decom. Thing is: it was sooo loud at Space Cowboys, I was unable to hear the menu prompts. Surprisingly, the post made it through. We'll work on getting better at this. :)

Teh Fine Print

This is an unofficial website. BURNcast is independently produced by burners for burners. It is offered as a gift to the Community (drink!!!). Our podcasts, vidcasts and blog are not intended to represent Burning Man in virtual reality or actual reality. The views expressed on BURNcast may or may not reflect that of the BMorg or the Black Rock City LLC and we're not affiliated with the Cult of Larry.

All rights reserved for all BURNcast audio podcasts and BURNcast vidcasts including any and all blog and calendar posts except where explicitly communicated on this blog. Permission required to use any BURNcast recordings for remix and reuse.